Recreational Use of Trail Systems Surrounding Pocatello, Idaho
Abstract
To assist the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in their management of recreational trails surrounding Pocatello, Idaho, a public-opinion survey was created and distributed to trail users. These responses will guide future BLM recreational management decisions in regards to trail designations and restrictions to minimize trail user conflicts and maximize balanced trail use. The first phase involves drafting survey questions about the current trail systems. Questions concern trail usage by participants, ease of access, and the trail user interactions and risks. The next phase involves gathering data from people using the trails including hikers, bikers, ATV/UTV operators, and horseback riders. Questions will be asked via a hand-held data collector, which will simultaneously record the GPS reference and time-stamp for each user response. The final phase will include analysis of the documented data to identify public preferences regarding trail access, recreational trail use, and trail user conflicts among different recreational activities. Overall, this project is just one example of multiple SES science conducted as part of the NSF EPSCoR MILES (Managing Idaho’s Landscapes for Ecosystems Services) award, which focuses on various ecosystem services adjacent to mid-sized cities.
Recreational Use of Trail Systems Surrounding Pocatello, Idaho
To assist the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in their management of recreational trails surrounding Pocatello, Idaho, a public-opinion survey was created and distributed to trail users. These responses will guide future BLM recreational management decisions in regards to trail designations and restrictions to minimize trail user conflicts and maximize balanced trail use. The first phase involves drafting survey questions about the current trail systems. Questions concern trail usage by participants, ease of access, and the trail user interactions and risks. The next phase involves gathering data from people using the trails including hikers, bikers, ATV/UTV operators, and horseback riders. Questions will be asked via a hand-held data collector, which will simultaneously record the GPS reference and time-stamp for each user response. The final phase will include analysis of the documented data to identify public preferences regarding trail access, recreational trail use, and trail user conflicts among different recreational activities. Overall, this project is just one example of multiple SES science conducted as part of the NSF EPSCoR MILES (Managing Idaho’s Landscapes for Ecosystems Services) award, which focuses on various ecosystem services adjacent to mid-sized cities.